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parental rights

CC image courtesy of Flickr, VCU CNS By Wende Benner, HA Editorial Staff Michael Farris, founder of Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Patrick Henry College, and parentalrights.org, announced this week that it is God’s will for him to become President and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian “legal ministry.” The People for the American way featured the ADF in

“As Matt Walsh once said, ‘Let’s talk about everything as hyperbolically as possible.’ Except Matt Walsh never said that. Then again, no politician ever said, ‘Let’s treat all homeschool parents like felony child abusers,’ which was the title of Walsh’s December 18, 2013 post on homeschooling.”

“In a recent post, Ryan made the case that homeschooling is not a human right and, as a result, state regulation of homeschooling (or even outright prohibition, as in Germany), does not amount to a violation of human rights. As much as I have been appreciating his examination of homeschooling culture, in this instance I disagree with his analysis.”

“‘The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.’ That’s article 16(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights… That statement transcends legal controversy or political debate: it states a principle that is widely shared… It is an affirmation of how people generally feel about the dignity and centrality of home and family.”

“Over the last few weeks I’ve watch as, in a game of online telephone, this story has evolved from HSLDA’s Mike Farris’ musings, to the question of whether domestic homeschooling rises or falls with this case to, finally, ‘Holder vs. home schooling.’ Unfortunately, in the hysteria, the actual issue at stake seems to have been lost.”

“The effects of the abuse don’t leave… Among us 5 kids, 4 have been suicidal, 4 have been in counseling, 3 have depression, 2 have run away multiple times, 2 have distorted eating and body issues, and 2 have self-harmed. And yet my parents still do not see what they did as traumatizing! If these incredible effects don’t convince them, then nothing will.”